Morgan arrived wherein I received a Letter from them Gentlemen acquainting me, my merch accounts were refused, for want of proper Formes and Vouchers, which they sent me And told me the Same had been forwarded by you and Sir William Several times before, it not a little Surprised me that I never received them, and could not helping thinking it Somewhat odd, that these formalities Should be necessary and that I should never have the Least notice of it from anyone but the merchants, but finding these formalities could not prejudice the accounts have anexed them and you have also the march accounts Inclosed done in the Same manner, which you will Either forward to Sir William or lay them befor the General as you think proper.

I have wrote fully to Sir William on the matter wherein I have represented how much I think the Service may Suffer by the General refusing these accounts, and have desired to know wither I am to follow Such directions as I receive from the merchants without there being Signed by any one who has a wright to give me orders.

I have Long ago Giveing my opinion that unless more posts were Established, the Expences of the Indian Department could not possibly [sic] be Lessened, it did not occur to me at that time the more Effectial method the General has takeing not to pay my accounts

The two boats being cut off in the Ohio Gives Great Room to think all is not wright amongst the Savages, and I am Informed by the Indians here (who Seem as well disposed to the English as any I ever Saw) that there is a belt now passing among the Indians Inhabiting the Lakes up to the Fausavins liveing on the Mississipi Said to have come from the Iroquois, Shawanese and Delawares and is returning northward, among the nations unknown to those here, and that the contents are not to be known till the Spring, but the moment it comes to their knowledge it shall not be Keept a Secreet from me. Colo. Reed thinks signeing my abstract in the man

ner he has now done would be sufficient, without Certifieing every particular accot.

I am Dr. Sir Your most obt. servt. Edwd. Cole [Endorsement] Fort Chartres Octbr. 25 & Decbr. 19th 1767

recd. March 13th 1768 Comisry. Coles

Letter

Commissary Edward Cole to (George Croghan?), Fort Chartres, December 19, 1767

[Sir William Johnson Mss. vol. 15, p. 183. A. L. S.] Fort Chartres, Decr. 19th, 1767.

Dear Sir

Yours of the 18th of Octr. I received a few days past. You Doubt not I was Surprised at my accounts being refused, for not being properly Certified, had your letters or Sir Williams Instructions, been as full as this above, they never would have wanted these formalitys but haveing answered all these points fully in letters to you and Sir William, Shall refer you to them, if ever they get to hand they have been twice up as far as the Cherokee Fort, a man falling Sick the first time, & Indians firing on them the second obliged them to return, tho' I hope they will now goe Safe as the faithfull Silver heels takes them under his charge. I hope you will now find my Accounts, Sufficiently certified if they are not please to Send me the necessary formes that they may be wright for the future.

The Smiths you hope behave well and do their duty, how far they would do the Latter if they had Tools I can be no Judge at present, it is but Little they can do without belloweses, none have they nor none can I get, I did obtain liberty for them to work Some time in the Fort, but that was put a Stop too, being but one bellowes, it was wanted for Garrison use, Mr. Phyn brought two pair with him, have applyed to Collo. Reed for one, he says they are so bad they cannot be mended in this Country,

and wither their own will Ever be Sent I cant Say, as they tell me they wer at Fort Pitt when they left it and that if they'd had a Batteux, they could have brought them to the Messissipi, and I could have easily Sent for them.

You wish Some Stop could be put to French traders going out into the Indian Country, So do I with all my hart but unless the Posts are Established I mentioned in my former letters, the mouth of the River Illinois, the cherokee Fort & Post Vinsent it never can be prevented, that being done and all peltrys obliged to be bonded for an English post, and a duty or prohibition Laid on all French goods, landed on this Side would in a great measure through the Trade into our hands, make our Influence much greater with the Indians, and the monys arising from the dutys of the peltry, and French goods, would go far towards paying the Expence of the Country, besides a much Larger consumption for British manufacturies. But These are Considerations for the Great, not, for a trifling Comy. Subject to the orders of every Rank.

I dare say You will be able in your Voyage to Detroit to find out the Belts I mentioned pasing among the Indians, and prevent any thing being attempted in the Spring.

I am sorry the House you mentioned was obliged to Stop payment, but as they did it with So much reputation, it can be no prejudice to their Trade or Carrecters, but reather Give them more weight then ever, you may Depend that whatever is in my power to render them Service, I shall not be backward So long as I remain here, and wither ever I shall get away God knows, for notwithstandg the repeated letters I have wrote for liberty to go down and Settle my affairs, or leave to resign, can get no answer to them neither from you or Sir William.

I am Extremely obliged to you for the kind offers you make me of rendering me Service, believe I shall soon be obliged to Accept them, if I cant get liberty to down soon pray Sir Interest yourself for me in this affair and let

me once more Smell Salt water if for so ever so Short a time, I am Dr. Sir

Your most. obt. Servt. Edwd. Cole.

[No address or endorsement]

Commissary Edward Cole to Sir William Johnson, Fort Chartres, April 18, 1768

[Sir William Johnson Mss, vol. 16, p. 70. A. L. S.] Dear Sir

I have this day wrote to Mr. Croghan, incloseing my accounts for the last six months, which he doubtless will forward to you, and to which I refer you, I think there is an absolute necessity of Establishing a Post, at Post Vincennt, and to have Some one there, in the Indian department it being the great path throw which all the northward Indians pass, and a Great place of Trade.

There is now here Mr. Rumsey who was formerly in the 42d Regt. and came with Capt. Sterling when he took possession, he is now a going to Post Vicennt, I hav desired him to make all the observations he possible can with regard to the Trade being Carried on there, and the behavour of the Indians, I doubt not he would gladly accept of any Employment for that place. from his Knowledge of the Country and being well Acquainted with the Manners & Customs of Indians, much benifit might arrise from a more Cirtain Intelligence, and puting a Stop to the Illeicet Trade carryed on in the Ouabach and priventing bad people Sowing Sedition among the nations by haveing Such a person there. My compliments to Sir John and your Family and Believe me to be

Dr. Sir with the Utmost Respect Your most. obt. Humle. Servt. Edwd. Cole

Fort Chartres Apl. 18th 1768

[Endorsement] Fort Chartres 18th April 1768

Comisry. Coles Letter

Extract from a letter to Gen. Thomas Gage, from the Illinois, [July 1768?]

[Sir William Johnson Mss, vol. 16, p. 146. Copy] Extract of a Letter, to General Gage, from the Illinois. The immence Expence attending the Indien Department must be a considerable Burthen to the Crown if all the other Nations, on the Continent are so plentifully Supplyed as those in this Neighborhood. I have for some time observed that the more Presents they receive, the oftener the Return, and are less contented; and that their chief dependence rests more upon his majesty's Bounty, than their own Industry; for while they are supplied with necessary's, and Provisions, they never move from their Village, but beging and hanging upon the Inhabitants, which gives them such a habit of Idleness (particularly the four Tribes in this District) that they are by the constant use of Spirituous Liquors become Effeminate and Debilitated; so much that nothing can be apprehended, from such a Dastardly Race of Cowards, who impute, the Bounty they receive, proceeds from fear not of Love.

The Commissary I believe Acts for the best, and takes the greatest pains to keep them in our Intrest, which is easily done as the French as present have no occasion for their Service, and gives them Presents but of small value. As it may be necessary to give them presents Annually, those should be purchased as the lowest Prices, and could be bought considerably under the Price, the Government is at present Charged with. Vizt. Lead that is Charges 25 Sols pr. wt could be had for 17, Spirits Issued at fifteen Livers could be procured at eight or nine pr. Gallon, Blankets, Strouds, and all other Articles in proportion, which would considerably reduce the Publick Expense. Please pardon this hint which I would not have offered, but the distance we are here from the world conceals many things from your knowledge, which cannot be divin'd without Information, and think it my duty to